Advanced Television

Inside Satellite

Chris Forrester

Chris Forrester is one of the most experienced and highly regarded journalists in the field. His insight and analysis, particularly in the satellite and pay-TV arena, is highly prized. He has written for all the major business journals in the sector as well as several national newspapers.

Telstra/Starlink deal analysed

Australian telco Telstra signed a mobile service agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink back in July 20233. A report from analysts at Northern Sky Research (NSR) says the partnership aims to offer voice-only and voice plus Starlink enabled broadband packages to rural customers in hard-to-reach Australian locations. NSR says that Starlink already has 120,000 customers “signed” for […]

October 27, 2023

Terran Orbital wins ESA contract

Satellite builder Terran Orbital has won a modest $4.7 million (€4.5m) contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) for an “in-orbit servicing mission”. The news is extremely timely as Terran is holding a Town Hall virtual meeting today (October 26th) for shareholders, some of whom have expressed displeasure with the CEO and Board of Directors […]

October 26, 2023

ESA wants ideas for new VLEO missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) is using an image of a giant spaceship, more like a massive cruiseliner than a space vehicle, as a teaser for its VLEO (Very Low Earth Orbit) scheme. ESA DG Josef Aschbacher says that ESA wants to “Unleash the potential of Very Low Earth Orbits: [and] calls for innovative missions, […]

October 25, 2023

Ovzon-3 on track for December launch

The Swedish owners of Ovzon-3 must be breathing a strong sigh of relief at the news that their much-delayed Ovzon-3 satellite will launch in December. The problem for Ovzon is that if the satellite doesn’t launch by December 31st it could find its frequency rights to occupy 59.7 degrees East slot cancelled for failing to […]

October 24, 2023

Arianespace revises testing schedule for Ariane-6

Josef Aschbacher, Director General at the European Space Agency (ESA), says that planned pre-launch testing schedule for the new Ariane 6 rocket has been amended in order to “optimise” the timetable. Aschbacher said: “In order to optimise the #Ariane6 testing schedule, the test sequence has been inverted. This allows us to anticipate the launch rehearsal […]

October 23, 2023

Bank upgrades Universal Music

Investment bank BNP Paribas has carried out a detailed examination of the prospects for Universal Music Group (UMG). The bank has upgraded UMG to ‘Neutral’ as far as its investment advice is concerned and has given a Target Price for its shares of €23 (currently trading at about €24.70). Its results are due on October […]

October 20, 2023

Ligado sues US government

Ligado Networks has been on the receiving end of many legal claims and actions. Recent lawsuits have come from Inmarsat, for example. But Ligado is now suing the US government alleging the Department of Defense violated Ligado’s L-band spectrum rights and illegally thwarted its 5G programme without compensation. Ligado has had a troubled history. Ligado […]

October 19, 2023

Telesat explains Lightspeed benefits

Lightspeed is the 198 craft broadband-by-satellite scheme from Telesat of Canada. The company has outlined what it sees as the system’s key advantages, not least flying higher than the “congested” lower Earth orbits of rivals. Lightspeed has been in the planning and quotation stage for a couple of years but back in August Telesat confirmed […]

October 18, 2023

Complaints over Terran Orbital’s strategy

Terran Orbital is busy building satellites including 600 for Rivada Networks, but a group of investors are concerned about the company’s depressed share price and demanding that the CEO Marc Bell be replaced – and the current role of CEO and Chairman be divided. The investors also want an urgent strategic review of the business. […]

October 16, 2023

Arianespace needs extra €210m p/a to stay solvent

Airbus and Safran, who between them control ArianeGroup, are asking for an additional €210 million – over and above the €140 million a year it already receives – in order to operate the Arianespace rocket system. The news was revealed by Europe in Space and France’s La Tribune newspaper. The problem for ArianeGroup is that […]

October 13, 2023